Jain

“Kolavidu halugolanovidu amurtagolanovidu, Gange nadiyo Tungavodriyo Mangala-gauryavidu, rundavanavovidu shrangartotavo, Ayi ariya ayi ariye vale tutta vale tirlta jaya jaya jaya jaya ! “

                                                                                                                              Inscription No. 123

      In the sixteenth century when a pious pilgrim visited the sacred Shravanabelagola, he became wonderstruck and enchanted with the beauty of the spot exclaimed, “Oh, is it a pond of milk or panacea? Or is it one of the rivers whether Ganges, Tungabhadra or Mangalagauri? Or is it Vrandavan or Viharopavana? Oh, look, how wonderful is this Tirtha?”.

      In fact Shravanabelagola with its amazing Bahubali colossus is a wonder of the world. The opinion of the pious pilgrim of yore as depicted in the inscription cited above, has been supported and supplemented by a modern foreign traveller as well. He remarked,”In the whole beautiful State of Mysore it would be hard to find a spot where the historic and the picturesque clasp hands so firmly as here.” The Jain Shramanas had a rare conception of scenic beauty and a gift of selecting delightful sports which were suited for religious meditation as well as for furthering the cause of material existence. Shravanabelagola

certainly is such a spot. It is rather a national treasure.

chandragiri_7thc_oldkannada_inscription

Greatness Of Jainism

 ”No less memorable have been the services of Jainism to the evolution of India`s spituil and philosophic life. Jainismhas cultivated certain aspects of that life which have broadened India`s religious outlook.It is not merely that jainism has aimed at carrying AHIMSA to it`s logical conclussion, undeterred by the practicalities of the world;it is not only that Jinismhas attempted to perfect the doctrine of Jina,-what is unique in Jainism among Indian religions and philosophical
systems is that it had sought emancipation in an upward movement of the spirit towords the realm of infinitude and transcendence and that it has made power,willside by side, with knowledge and faith.And jainism hassought harmony of all religious and of all philosophical and dialectical standponts, in it`s SARVADHARMA and ANEKANTVADA. At the other end of scales,in it`s
rockcut sculptured architecture,Jainism has created a new style, and carried it to a pitch
of excellence which places the glories of Mount Abu side by side with the mausoleum of the Taj among the architectural wonders of the World.”

      -courtesy:”The colossus of Gomateswara”